


The Set-Up

by starbrightnights



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barry and Iris are a couple in this, Black-tie, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Matchmaking, Pining, Romance, Snowells, Snowellsweek2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-18 04:21:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7299379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbrightnights/pseuds/starbrightnights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snowells Week: Day 6 - Last year's prompts: Not-a-date date.<br/>Also sort of fits with day 3 prompt - "You're an even better person."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies if Harry is a little OOC. I took his progression through season 2, and how different he was at the end of it, and wondered how he might be if he was somewhere where he could relax and with someone he trusts enough to open up to, now they weren't in danger.
> 
> Also, I have no idea how old Caitlin and Harry are meant to be (in my head she's in her late twenties, and Harry his mid-late forties?), so anything that might be mentioned in later chapters is just a guess.

"Hey, dad."

"Hi, sweetie."

"Whatcha doin'?"

Harrison Wells looked up from his paperwork and eyed his daughter suspiciously. "Jess, you can see what I'm doing."

"Oh, yeah..." Jesse approached his desk and sat down in the chair opposite him. She watched him for a moment, as he went back to his work, then leant forward and placed her elbows on his desk, propping her chin in her hands. "Daddy..."

"Nope."

"You don't even know what I was going to say!" she laughed, sitting back.

Harry let go of his pen and sat back himself, mirroring her. "Don't think I don't know what that voice means."

"What voice?"

"Your 'Dad-I-want-something-but-you'll-probably-say-no-so-I'm-going-to-try-and-sweet-talk-you' voice."

"I don't know what..." She gave up. "Yeah ok. So, you know I'm now on break, and things here have calmed down and everything's more or less back to normal?"

Harry shook his head with a knowing smile. "Haha, no. You're not going away with your college friends."

"Ok, that wasn't what I was going to ask, but thanks. And why not? You don't have to worry about me getting drunk and getting in trouble."

"Jesse, it's not you I'm worried about, it's everyone else around you. But if that wasn't it, then what?"

"Well, I was thinking, why don't we hop through the breach? It would be nice to see everyone - Barry, Cisco, Joe, Iris, Wally, _Caitlin_..."

Harry narrowed his eyes slightly, leaning forward for a moment to pick up his pen so he could click the top of it. Repeatedly. "Why did you say her name like that?"

"Whose?"

"Doctor Snow's".

"Why don't you just call her Caitlin?"

Harry shrugged, a casual movement that did nothing to hide his slight discomfort. "Out of respect. Professional courtesy."

Jesse rolled her eyes humorously. She could read him like a book. "Dad, she's a friend, not an acquaintance. But anyway, it would be nice to see her - _all_ of them. And I was actually hoping that Caitlin could help me with some of my bio work for college. Do you think she'd mind?"

"Oh," Harry visibly relaxed, and smiled lovingly at his daughter. "You really look up to her, don't you?"

"Uh... yeah."

"That's nice. I mean, I know, since your mom... Well, you haven't really hand any female role models."

"... No." Jesse smiled fondly as she thought of her late mother.

"It's good that you feel you can talk to Dr- _Caitlin_."

She nodded. "I can. She's great."

Harry nodded in agreement."Yeah, she is," he said, softly, before catching his carelessness and straightening up. He took a breath. "Ok, I'll tell you what - give me a couple more days to get things sorted here, and we'll go take a trip to Earth-1."

"Yes! Thank you!" Jesse sprung up out of her chair and ran round her father's desk to give him a hug.

"Oof!" He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her hair. "You're welcome."

"Wait." She pulled back from the hug a little. "Why do _they_ get to be Earth-1?"

*

Two days later, as promised, father and daughter stood in front of the breach in S.T.A.R. Labs, and stepped through, into the _other_ S.T.A.R. Labs.

Seconds after they did, a blurred streak rushed in and stopped dead in front of them, and as soon as they registered in his vision, dropped his defensive stance. 

"Oh, wow, hey! What are you guys doing here?" Barry Allen, a big grin on his face, stepped forward and hugged them both. "It's really good to see you."

"You, too, Barry," Jesse beamed.

"Jesse wanted to come visit."

"Just Jesse?"

Harry smiled, his hands on his hips. "Its good to see you, too, Allen."

"Of course it is. Come on, the others will be so stoked to see you."

*

"So, you guys came here for a _vacation_?" Cisco asked, chewing on the end of a gummy worm.

"Yes, we're so fancy, we vacation in other universes, now," Jesse said, tilting her chin up and adopting a mock well-to-do attitude.

Caitlin laughed. "Obviously. Well, you both look great. Harry, it's nice to see you looking more relaxed." She touched his arm, only briefly, but Jesse caught the blink-and-you'll-miss-it shift in her dad's demeanour - it was almost as if Caitlin had sent a spark of electricity through him. Interesting. So she _was_ right.

"So, where are you going to be staying?" Caitlin continued, seemingly oblivious to anything that might have just happened.

Harry scratched the back of his neck. "Well, we thought..."

"Here? No, not this time. You're not living here, now - you can stay at mine. I mean, if you want to. I have a spare room. It's small, but big enough for Jesse, and you can take the couch - it's fairly new, and very comfortable."

Jesse looked at her dad excitedly, and not just because it was the perfect opportunity for her subtle matchmaking. "Can we?"

"I..." He sighed. "Yes, ok - if you're sure it won't put you out?" he asked Caitlin.

She shook her head. "Not at all. Let me just finish up here, and then we can go." Caitlin smiled, and quickly walked out of the cortex.

"Harry, come take a look at this." Cisco waved him over to where he was now looking at one of the computer screens, and Jesse took the opportunity to corner Barry. She waved at him, then put a finger to her lips before he could speak.

Barry frowned, confused at first, then he got the gist. "Hey, uh, Jesse - wanna come check the pipeline with me? If that's ok with you, Harry?"

Harry glanced up from the screen he was looking at. "Sure. But if there's any sign of trouble, you run her straight back," he warned, still a little over-protective of his daughter. 

Jesse rolled her eyes. "Dad, I'll be perfectly safe. Come on, Barry."

Once they were out of earshot, and Jesse had checked to make sure Caitlin wasn't on her way back, she pulled Barry to one side. 

"So, what's going on? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, no, everything's fine. I just... All right, this might sound a little... And don't say anything to dad..."

" _Jesse_."

"Sorry. I was hoping to get both yours and Cisco's opinions, but you'll have to do that for me later. Right. Do you think... What do you think Caitlin thinks of my dad?"

Barry choked out a laugh before he could stop himself. "What... Oh, for real?" he asked, at the unamused look on Jesse's face. "Well, she likes him, I mean, they're friends - we all are, right?"

Jesse sighed. "Yeah, but I meant, do you think there's a possibility that she could see him as _more_ than just a friend?"

"Um... Jesse, I..."

"Look, I asked dad if we could come here because, yeah, I missed you guys, and I know he did, too, but I also think that he might like Caitlin in a 'more-than-friends' kinda way."

Barry leant against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. "Has he said something?"

"No, he hasn't, but whenever I mention her, he... Look, I know it sounds ridiculous, but trust me. When my dad was ready to start dating again, after my mom... Well, he never really seemed like he was into anyone. Once in a while he'd meet someone, they'd go to dinner, but he never connected with anyone, and most of the time he never saw them again. And he never seemed bothered by that. But Caitlin... I mention Caitlin, and the way he reacts, even though he probably doesn't think he's doing anything noticeable... _I_ can see it. I even saw it a few times before we left to go home."

"Oh, wow. I-"

The sound of heels echoing down the corridor made them jump, and Barry pulled Jesse further down it, away from where Caitlin might see them. Once her footsteps faded, he tried again.

"To be honest, Jesse, I have no idea. After Ronnie, and then Zoom messing with her head... I just don't know what place she's in right now. But, if she did - you'd be ok with that?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I mean, I actually think she'd be good for him."

Barry hummed in agreement. "Yeah, you're probably right, actually. Caitlin's pretty special."

"So, will you help me find out?"

"Uh, I... Oh! ... Yeah, that could work..."

Jesse raised her eyebrows at him. "Wanna fill me in?"

"Yeah, sorry. Ok, so we're supposed to be going to the opening of this super-fancy restaurant tomorrow night - Iris is reviewing it for the paper as a favour to her boss, although she doesn't really want to... How about we invite your dad, but right after dinner, once Iris has enough for her review, Maybe..." He thought a moment, his hand waving in front of him, trying to pluck an idea from out of thin air, "maybe I get a call asking me to come into work, and Iris, for some reason, has to leave with me... Cisco... I don't know, we'll figure something out for him. But there's an after-party, so..."

"... So, it's just the two of them there, but they'll stay because hopefully Caitlin won't want to leave early, and my dad might be a bit of a... Well, you know, sometimes, but he won't just leave her there on her own..."

"Yes! And that way they can get talking, and..." He took a deep breath. "Jesse, you understand that this might not work?" he said, kindly. "That Caitlin-"

"- I know, because of the age difference... But, at least we would have tried, and he won't be any the wiser. If she doesn't feel the same and nothing happens, then it will have just been two friends having a nice evening together - a not-a-date date."

"All right. Let me talk to Iris."

"Ok. Thanks, Barry. Oh, and if it doesn't work out, please, _please_ make sure that he never finds out that any of you knew, and that we did this - it would humiliate him."

"Jesse, we wouldn't ever let that happen."

She smiled gratefully. "Thank you. I just want him to be happy, and he was happier here, with all of you, than I've seen him in so long. I feel bad that he came back with me."

"No, don't. Your his little girl, there was no way he would have let you go home alone. If something happened which meant that breach could never be opened again, not having you on the same Earth as him would crush him. Come on," Barry put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her forward, "let's get back before they start looking for us."

*

Caitlin was quite pleased to have house-guests. Sometimes living on her own got a bit lonely, and even though she didn't want a roommate, having visitors was rather exciting, and gave her a chance to fuss and look after someone. 

She pushed open the door to her spare room/office, and let Jesse step inside. "Sorry, it's a bit..." she started, gathering up some papers and shoving them into the draw of her desk. "There, that's better."

"Caitlin, it's great, thank you," Jesse smiled, dropping her bag down by a small chest-of-drawers.

"The sofa-bed is actually pretty cosy." Caitlin stepped round Jesse and bent down to pull it out. It creaked a little, then popped out easily. "There. There's bedding in the closet, and I'll get you some towels. And then I was thinking... take-out?"

"Chinese?"

Caitlin grinned. "You got it." She walked out of the room, making a beeline for the bathroom, then stopped when she saw Harry standing in front of the couch, staring down at it, perplexed. She looked at him, then looked at the couch, and quickly saw what the problem was. "Oh, I'm sorry, Harry. I forgot how tall you are."

Harry waved a dismissive hand at her. "It's fine, I can make it work."

"Don't be silly, you'll more than likely wake up in pain. Take my bed."

His eyebrows shot up. "What? No, I'm not doing that - you were nice enough to let us stay in the first place, I'm not taking your bed. If it gets uncomfortable, I'll sleep on the floor."

Unexpected guests or not, Caitlin was _not_ going to let him sleep on the floor. "That's ridiculous. I can fit quite comfortably on the couch, and you'll fit quite comfortably in my bed." Her eyes widened as she heard how that sounded. She blushed. "I mean... I'm not having you sleeping on the floor, so... there," she finished, rather lamely. 

To his credit, Harry didn't argue about it any further, he merely offered her a small smile and stuck his arm out in a show-me-the-way gesture. 

"So," Caitlin said, as she walked him down the hall and into her room. "This is it. I actually changed the sheets this morning, so it's all ready for you to just jump into."

"It's very nice, thank you," Harry said, as he glanced around.

"Good. Well, make yourself at home. I told Jesse we'd get take-out, so I'll dig out the menu." With that she left the room, a little confused as to why she suddenly felt flustered. Then she reminded herself that she didn't often have guests, so she was just a little nervous and wanted to make sure they were comfortable. Yes, that was it.

*

"Mmm, this is really good," Jesse said, around a mouthful of noodles. 

Caitlin swallowed. "I know, I love this place - if they ever closed, I don't think I'd eat Chinese food ever again. And that would make me really sad."

Harry tapped his chopsticks against his lips. "You can't base your love of Chinese food on one restaurant. I mean, yes, this is good, but, on balance of probability, you could probably find somewhere better."

"Better than Jade Palace?!" Caitlin gasped in mock-horror, a hand flying to her chest. Then she laughed. "That may be, but still."

"But still," Harry repeated, picking up the bottle of wine that sat between them on the table. "Top-up?"

Caitlin pushed her glass towards him. "Please, but just a little."

"Ooh, me, too."

"Ha, nice try, young lady. Half a glass is all you're getting. But I'm sure Caitlin won't mind if you pour yourself some soda."

"Actually," Caitlin started, looking at Jesse apologetically, "I don't have any soda. There's juice in the fridge. Or water. I can pick up some soda tomorrow."

"Water's fine, thanks." Jesse slid out of her chair and headed into the kitchen.

"What?" Harry asked, when he saw Caitlin was smiling at him.

She leaned forward a little. "You called me by my first name - I don't think I've ever heard you say it before." He shrugged, and Caitlin swore he looked a little pink. She decided to save him. "It's nice that you're now comfortable enough with us to use our first names. You're a good friend to have, Harry Wells."

The corner of his mouth twitched up. "Yeah, you too, Caitlin Snow." He lifted his glass, and Caitlin tapped hers against it, the glass ringing lightly.

"Cheers."

"Cheers."

*

They were just about to call it a night, when the text alert on Caitlin's phone chimed. She reached forward to pick it up off the coffee table. "Oh!" she exclaimed, as she read the message Barry had sent her. She turned to face Harry. "We're meant to be going to the opening of this new restaurant tomorrow night, and as Iris is reviewing it, Barry says she can add you to the guest-list. Although, it's twenty-one and over only - sorry, Jesse," she added, feeling bad that she had to be left out.

"That's ok," Jesse said, a little higher-pitched than normal. "I can go hang out at Wally's."

Harry didn't look convinced. "I don't-"

Jesse didn't let him get any further. "Dad, come on - when was the last time you went out, with friends, and actually had some fun? Please go. I'll be fine."

"It'll be fun, I promise. There's even an after party with a jazz band! Although, we'll probably have to go get you something to wear - it's black-tie, and I'm guessing you didn't come with a tux?"

"You would be correct." Harry glanced at Jesse, and she beamed at him. He gave in. "Sure, why not?"

Jesse cheered internally - phase one complete.

"As for now, let's let Caitlin get some sleep."

"Sure." Jesse hopped up off the couch. "Night, Caitlin," she said, bending down to hug her. "Thanks again."

"Aw, you're very welcome."

"Night, daddy." Jesse kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodnight, honey."

*

Changed and washed, Caitlin padded out of the bathroom and knocked lightly on her bedroom door.

_"Come in."_

Caitlin pushed down on the handle and popped her head round the door. Harry was sitting up in bed, reading her well-loved copy of The Time Machine. She smiled. "That's one of my favourite books."

"Ah, mine too."

"I don't suppose H. G. Wells is any relation of yours?"

"Afraid not." He glanced at the worn pages. "I hope you don't mind - I saw the inscription your father wrote inside the cover."

"Not at all. He used to read it to me when I was a kid. Then sometimes, once it was finished, I'd ask him to read it all over again." She lost herself in the memory for a moment, then shook herself out of it. "I just came to see if you needed anything."

"No, thank you, although I still don't feel right taking your bed."

She waved a hand at him. "It's fine, honestly. Goodnight, Doctor Wells."

"Goodnight, Doctor Snow."

Caitlin flashed him a small grin, and was rewarded with one in return.

*

Caitlin loved dressing up. She didn't get to do it often, and, unfortunately, the last time had been at the ball at the museum with Jay- _Hunter_. Zoom. Whatever. She didn't want to think about him - he was gone, and she was safe; they _all_ were. But no, she wouldn't think about that, not when she was about to have a lovely evening with good friends, one that, for once, wasn't part of a plan to try and capture a meta-human. Plus, it meant that she could finally wear the gorgeous, pale silver, lace gown she'd bought months ago when it was on-sale. Ok, so it had still been pretty expensive, but she'd made the mistake of trying it on and falling in love, so she'd handed over her credit card without a second thought. She was very glad she had. With its v-shaped neckline and a-line skirt, she felt like a princess. Her hair was swept into a low chignon, with a few loose curls framing her face, and she had the sudden urge to giggle.  
When she was little, Caitlin had wanted to be a princess _and_ a scientist, and rightly told people who doubted she could be both that she absolutely could be. Her mother, sadly, had been one of those people, but her father had encouraged her, and had even written a short story for her featuring Caitlin, the Scientist Princess, something she was pretty sure her mother still knew nothing about. It was their secret, and it had delighted her. It still did, the small, leather-bound journal her father had written it in tucked away safely in a box at the top of her closet. 

_"Caitlin, are you ready?"_

"Just a minute!" she called through her bedroom door, Harry's voice startling her from her reverie. Caitlin quickly rifled through her jewellery, and decided on a pair of simple, diamond studs and a dainty, matching bracelet. The dress spoke for itself, and for what it cost, she didn't want to draw attention away from it. Although... She became suddenly anxious. Was it too much for a restaurant, even a posh one? The invite did say black-tie, and what did that mean if not glamour? She shook her head. _Don't be ridiculous, Caitlin - you look fine_. Plus, she was really curious to see what Harry looked like dressed to the nines. She'd seen Dr. Wells - correction, _Eobard Thawne_ \- in a suit plenty of times, but never in a tux, so she had no point of reference for that, and she was itching to find out. She wasn't quite sure _why_ , but it sent a little flutter of excitement through her, so she picked up her clutch, checked her make-up one last time, and headed into her living room. She froze as soon as she saw him.

Harry was staring out of the window of her apartment, looking pensive, and she was glad, because she was pretty sure she was catching flies. She quickly closed her mouth and let her eyes roam over him, only feeling slightly guilty for doing so. The man looked _good_. Handsome and commanding, and a little bit like James Bond - the tux they'd rented earlier that day fit like it had been tailored especially for him. And that was only the side-view. When he turned to face her... Wait. What?

Caitlin felt herself go stiff - had he caught her staring? She could feel a blush rising, but the cause of it changed entirely when he uttered the word "Wow", and then immediately shut up, unintentionally looking like a deer in the headlights. She could feel a laugh bubbling up her throat, but she quashed just in time, and she relaxed, more relived that she hadn't been caught than she was embarrassed by his unchecked compliment. And weren't those the best kind?

"Uh, sorry." Harry took a breath, gathering himself, then smiled softly at her, those piercing blue eyes of his sparkling. With one hand in his pocket, he gestured towards her with the other. "You look beautiful."

Ok, now she was embarrassed again. Good embarrassed, not the embarrassed someone gets when their mother announces to the family that her daughter is grouchy because she just got her first period. _Thanks, mom_. She smiled back at him. "Thank you. And you... You scrub up very well." Well, that didn't sound too insulting. If Caitlin could have rolled her eyes at herself without him noticing, she would have. "I mean, not that you usually look..." _Shut up, shut up_. "You look very handsome." _Well done_. "Shall we?" she said, heading to the door, before he could say anything in response. And, like a gentleman, he didn't. What was wrong with her? So her friend looked hot in a tux, big deal. Lots of men looked hot when they put a tux on - it was like the suit had magical powers.

She didn't dwell too much on the fact that he looked pretty good out of it, too. 

They rode the elevator down mostly in silence, Caitlin fidgeting with her bracelet and staring at the line that ran down the centre of the doors. When they exited, Harry finally broke the tension.

"Has Jesse asked you about her college work, yet? She seemed eager to get your input."

"She has, and I'd love to. We're going to go over a few things tomorrow - she wants something a bit more challenging for her paper. I just hope I can come up with something she doesn't already know inside out," she joked. 

"I'm sure you will, and thank you. She really does look up to you."

"Really?" Caitlin stopped as they stepped out into the street, touched by what he'd just told her.

"I believe I once said that you were a tremendous scientist, but an even better person. I couldn't think of anyone more suitable to have that kind of an influence on her. She hasn't had many women in her life."

"Oh, Harry..."

He waved a hand in front of him. "Stop, come on - you're making me sappy." He stuck his arm out to hail the taxi that was coming towards them, then glanced at Caitlin. " _Stop_ that."

"Stop what?" She asked, all wide-eyed innocence.

"You know exactly what," he replied, trying not to smile.

Caitlin chuckled, then slid gracefully into the taxi when he opened the door for her.


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the purpose of this story, Harry is now able to roam Earth-1 freely.

"I see the rest of your party haven't arrived, yet - would you like to be seated, or would you prefer to wait in the bar area?" The maitre d', a sniffy looking man, glanced up from the guest list in front of him. He was politely obnoxious, which was the worst kind, as far as Caitlin was concerned.

"The bar will be fine," Harry replied.

"We also have a photographer here tonight - would you like to supply your email address in order to gain access to our exclusive online photo album?"

Caitlin smiled sweetly. "Sure." She took the pen offered to her and scribbled it down next to her name.

"Sir?"

"No, thanks, I'll just look at hers."

"Very well. Have a lovely evening."

"Yeah, an "exclusive" online album where you have to trawl through hundreds and hundreds of photos of people you don't care about just to find the few you're in, which are always, inevitably, right at the end," Harry whispered near to Caitlin's ear as he steered her towards the bar, his hand pressed lightly to the small of her back, and Caitlin wondered if he was aware he was doing it, or whether he was just being an attentive escort. Either way, a little shiver ran through her, which both delighted and confused her.

The restaurant itself, La Maison d'Elegance ("Pretentious," Harry had scoffed, earning him a light, warning slap on the arm, and a well concealed smirk), was beautiful, an homage to 1920's Art Deco, with sparkling chandeliers, dark wood, gold inlay, bold lines and curves, pale walls, a marble floor, and black velvet fabric on the chairs and bar stools. Whoever owned this establishment was clearly not short of a buck or two.

In the bar area, a waiter approached them with a tray and a fixed smile - Caitlin wondered if he'd have to physically push the corners of his mouth back down at the end of the night.

"Champagne?"

"Thank you," Caitlin said, taking a glass. Her hand brushed Harry's as he reached for one at the same time, and it sent a tingle up her arm. What was going on with her? Then she saw that Harry was glancing around, clearly on edge, and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"People are staring." He took a sip of his drink and focused his gaze solely on her. "And talking."

She put a hand on his arm in a gesture of comfort. "Don't worry about it. They're just curious, that's all. I promise, you're fine." She raised her glass to his and tapped them together. "To a lovely evening."

"Yes. Thanks, Snow."

"You're welcome." Then she realised what he'd said. "Snow?"

"Sorry, _Caitlin_ ," he corrected, his mouth turning up as his eyes moved across her face.

Caitlin thought for a second. "You know, I don't actually mind. As it's you," she added. Good grief, was she flirting? No, no, she was just teasing - friends teased each other all the time. She didn't have time to worry about it further, however, or think about how Harry's eyes had imperceptibly widened, because at that moment a photographer appeared out of seemingly nowhere in front of them, and waved her camera in their faces.

"Smile, guys!"

Caitlin automatically beamed at the lens, and only realised afterward that Harry had put an arm around her shoulder, but it was gone again in a blink. 

"Well, look at you two!" 

Glancing to her left, Caitlin saw Barry and Iris walking towards them, and she waved in greeting, somewhat relieved.

"Woah, that dress is incredible on you," Iris complimented, a wide smile on her pretty face.

"Thanks, Iris. And, of course, you look stunning."

"Well, I try," she said, giving Caitlin a twirl. "And Harry, you look very dashing."

Harry lifted his glass to her in thanks. "Iris, lovely as always."

"Hey, is any of this love coming my way?"

"Aw, sweetie, do you not get enough attention already?" Iris teased, pressing a hand against Barry's chest.

"Haha. Oh, by the way - bad news. Cisco can't make it."

"Oh, no, why?" Caitlin asked, a little disappointed that one of her best friends wouldn't be joining them.

"Dante. He, uh, said he had some news, and didn't want to tell his mom without back-up."

Harry pulled a face. "Isn't he a grown man?"

"You haven't met Cisco's mom," Caitlin said, communicating to him what he needed to know with a simple look.

"Ah."

Iris grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. "Well then, shall we?"

*

The four of them stared down at their plates questioningly.

"Well, you can excuse the starter for being small, but this..." Iris poked her food with her fork.

"It looks pretty, though. Not that that makes a difference," Caitlin quickly added, when the others stared at her.

"Why does my chicken have a flower on it?"

"Oh, it's ok, that one's edible."

"Yes, Snow, I know, but _why_?"

Barry snorted a laugh. "Harry, by the looks of it, that flower will fill you up more than the chicken."

Iris lifted her fork to her mouth, fully prepared to taste her tiny dinner. "Mmm, you know, it's actually pretty good - _very_ good. I could eat a few of these."

"You'd have to to get a meal out of it," Harry said, scooping up his flower with his knife and fork and depositing it onto Caitlin's plate. "I'm not eating that," he stated, in answer to the look on her face.

"So, you thought I'd like to?"

"Well, you could always put it in your hair..."

Caitlin laughed, and was rewarded with a sparkling grin.

She completely missed the look that Barry and Iris shared with each other.

 

Dessert was by far the best course. Both Caitlin and Iris had the red velvet soufflé, which was topped with a small dollop of lightly sweetened mascarpone, and the boys were presented with slices of rich, chocolate torte, decorated with gold leaf.

When Barry was halfway through, he waited for Iris to finish her mouthful, then called "Switch!", and they swapped plates. Iris promptly jotted down some notes in the little pad she had next to her on the table.

"Wow. I honestly don't know which is better, my torte, or your soufflé."

Iris popped a piece of torte into her mouth and chewed, her eyes closing blissfully. "Mmm, they should definitely sell these as a duo."

"That would make dessert bigger than the main course. Not that that's a bad thing."

Caitlin pushed her plate towards Harry. "Try some."

Harry eyed her for a second, then scooped up some of the gooey pudding with his dessert fork. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment.

"Well?"

"I'm thinking... I might need to try a bit more..." He pinched another mouthful before she even had a chance to say anything, so in retaliation, she stole his torte out from under him.

"Hey!"

"Fair's fair," she said, grinning cheekily." She spooned some into her mouth. "Oh, god... Iris, you're right - these _need_ to come as a pair."

"Right?!"

"Put that in your article, just in case."

"Girl, it's already in." Iris high-fived Caitlin across the table.

During dessert, the band at the far end of the restaurant, who had been playing soft dinner music, had upped the tempo, playing more recognisable material, and a singer had joined them onstage, ready for the people who wanted to start dancing, of which there were already quite a few, eager to get the party started.

Barry stood, and reached out for Iris's hand. "May I have this dance?" he asked, with an over-exaggerated bow, and Iris laughed.

"Ok, but let me go freshen up, first." She left the table, and Barry sat back down to wait for her. Moments later, his cell started ringing. He looked at the screen and frowned.

"Allen," he answered. "Yeah... Sure thing, I'll be right there." He ended the call and pocketed his phone. "I'm sorry, guys, I'm needed at a crime scene. But you two stay, please, enjoy yourselves," he said, standing again and slipping his jacket on. "I'll let Iris know on my way out."

"Oh..." Caitlin smiled ruefully at him, sad he had to leave so soon. But in his line of work, there was always something. "Was there no one else?"

"Apparently, I was asked for specifically." Barry walked backwards a few steps, waved, then turned and nearly crashed into a waiter.

Harry stared at him in disbelief as he watched him apologise and then hurry away. "That man is this city's saviour," he murmured, shaking his head.

"Ha, I know. But it's all part of what makes him so special."

Several minutes after Barry left, a text alert came through on Caitlin's phone.

"Oh, it seems Iris has gone with him - "...wanted to get a head start on the article so she could get it out the way"," she read out.

"Huh. Well."

Caitlin waited for Harry to continue, but he didn't. "Do you want to... I mean, I don't mind if you want to get going..."

Harry studied her closely. "Do _you_?"

"Well, I'm having a nice time, but if you're not..."

"Who says I'm not?"

Caitlin felt a little awkward. It was weird - she'd been doing fine with Harry when they'd first arrived and were alone, but now, with Barry and Iris gone, and everyone around them going up to dance, there was a sudden, indefinable, tension between them.

"Caitlin?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you like to dance?"

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really?"

Harry chuckled. "You think I've never danced?"

"No, I..." Truth be told, it seemed like the kind of thing that would make him uncomfortable, which was why she hadn't asked him herself. "Sorry, I just didn't think it would be your thing," she said, slightly embarrassed. And maybe it wouldn't have been, when they'd first met, when he hadn't wanted to make friends, when he'd been on a mission to get his daughter back. But Harry had changed - he'd admitted that himself when he'd left to go home with Jesse and the real Jay Garrick. Maybe this Harry, the one asking her to dance, was the Harry that had been there all along, the Harry that used to be there when his wife was still alive. 

The man himself didn't look offended. Instead, he just offered her a lop-sided smile. "Don't be, I can see why you thought that. But believe me, I've had to do a _lot_ of schmoozing over the years, especially when Star Labs was still in its infancy, so I got pretty good at it." He stared at her, and Caitlin couldn't work out why until she suddenly remembered that he was waiting for an answer to his original question.

"Yes! Yes, sorry. I'd love to." She swallowed the last of the champagne in her glass (because she didn't want to waste it, not for Dutch courage - not at all...), and then stood up at the same time as him, Harry gesturing in the direction of the dance floor with a 'You first' hand. The thing that Caitlin found odd, was that although she felt a little nervous, it all suddenly seemed very natural. Harry took her hand in his, put his other on her waist, and began to guide her around the floor to the lively _Puttin' On the Ritz_.

"Ooh, not bad," Caitlin praised, trying not to focus too much on how it felt to be in his arms, or how the scent of his cologne left her wanting to...

Harry let out a small chuckle, and she blinked, then took a breath and relaxed.

"I like this Harry, this Harry's fun. I mean, I also like the other Harry, the grouchy one, but that one doesn't dance. I think. Does he?" She blushed at her idiotic rambling, and pressed her lips together.

He smiled at her. "I think the champagne's gone to your head."

"Well, there's not really enough in there to soak it up. And it hasn't, I was just..." Ok, maybe she did feel a _bit_ fuzzy, but it was more nerves than alcohol. "Yes, you're probably right," she conceded. She'd rather pretend she was tipsy than admit to anything else. Caitlin let herself relax once more into the dance. She was here to have fun, and fun she would have.

*

It turned out that Harry was quite the storyteller, and in-between dances, when they stopped for a rest and to quench their thirst, he shared snippets of his life, some happy, some sad, and some down-right hilarious. Caitlin couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so much, and she'd returned the gesture, delighting in the way she could make him light up. And as they swapped stories, the more she learnt about him, the more she liked him, and the more she started to realise that she really didn't want him to go back home, and wished that he could stay, no matter how selfish that might be.

When Harry excused himself to use the restroom, Caitlin took the opportunity to re-focus and think seriously about what was happening. She was now ready to admit to herself that when she first saw Harry again, back in the cortex, her heart rate had increased and her stomach had fluttered, the sudden surge of adrenalin making her jittery, and there was no point trying to tell herself that it was just because his visit had been so unexpected, and therefore she had just been surprised and pleased to see her friends. Of course, she had been, but when it came to just Harry, it was more than that. She'd thought about both him and Jesse often, wondering how they were doing, but when she'd focused on Harry alone, she'd felt an ache inside, and a buzzing behind her bottom teeth that she'd had to press her tongue against in order to soothe. But after everything, after Ronnie, after being duped by Zoom, her head had clearly chosen to hide any new feelings from her heart in an act of self-preservation, and yet, after tonight, her head seduced and her heart now flooded with said feelings, she had no idea what to do. She was attracted to him, that was the bottom line, and being able to spend time with him, without any threat hanging over them, and him opening up to her, had only deepened that attraction, and she now realised that there was no point in worrying if it was too soon, because the seed he'd planted within her was already starting to bloom. He'd made her laugh, he'd been attentive, he'd trusted her enough to share details of his life with her, and now she wanted to learn more. She wanted to know everything. It was too late to pull on the reins, to take a step back. And she knew, somehow, she just _knew_ that he felt the same. The way he'd looked at her, the way he'd held her when they'd danced... She knew that it wasn't just wishful thinking on her part.

The thing was - what did she do about it?

That question abruptly evaporated when she saw Harry walking back towards her, his collar now unbuttoned, bow-tie hanging casually around his neck, an easy smile spreading across his face when he caught her eye, and Caitlin completely lost her train of thought.

He offered her his hand, and she was up and dancing again before she even knew it. 

When the song finished, and the clapping from the crowd had faded, the music took a different direction. Caitlin recognised the opening strains to _They Say It's Wonderful_ immediately, and all around them couples started swaying instead of enthusiastically moving about, and she suddenly felt very hot. But she and Harry didn't let go of each other. Instead, they fell in with everyone else, conveniently avoiding each other's eyes as they stepped closer. Caitlin rested her chin on Harry's shoulder, his cheek pressed against the side of her head, and she could have quite happily stayed that way forever if it meant not having to look at him, purely because at this point she wasn't sure if she could stand on her own, and looking into those baby blues could very well finish her off, and the last thing she wanted to do was make a fool of herself. The feel of his breath against her skin wasn't helping matters much, either.

But, of course, luck was not on her side. Harry lifted his head away to look at her, eyes dark and heavy with an emotion she hadn't seen in him before. She knew exactly what it was, and she was helpless to stop it, mostly because she didn't _want_ to stop it. She didn't want to ponder on whether it was a good idea or a bad idea, all she knew in this moment, was that this man right here, all she wanted... 

Her stomach growled. Loudly. Right when their faces were so close that he had become a blur, right when she had tilted her head, right when his eyes had flicked to her lips and then back up to gaze at her before... Right at the wrong damn time.

Harry's snigger was instantaneous. It wasn't unkind, quite the opposite, and Caitlin couldn't help but laugh with him, her forehead dropping to his shoulder in embarrassment, not just for her stomach, but for ruining what she was pretty sure was about to be a spectacular kiss.

"I didn't eat a lot today, because I thought we would be having a big dinner," she offered by way of a mumbled, rushed explanation. Then she made herself look at him, her bottom lip caught between her teeth, still giggling slightly. 

"You don't have to explain, I'm starving myself."

Caitlin breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, good."

"How about we get out of here and find something?"

"That sounds like a very good idea." It really was. No matter how much she would have liked to have stayed there in his arms, now she thought about it, Caitlin really, really, wanted something to eat. "Let's go."

*

Conversation had been slightly lacking until they'd left the pizza vendor Caitlin had suggested by the riverside, but now, food filling their bellies and offering some comfort, they both relaxed into an easy rhythm again.

"Mmm," Caitlin hummed around a mouthful. "Nothing beats the pizza Barry brings back from Keystone, but I could definitely eat more of this."

"Well, yeah, it's good, but you should try the pizza on my Earth. There's this place near where we live called Luciano's-"

"On Harlow Street?"

"Yeah," he said, seemingly surprised. "You know, I didn't even think to check before if you had one."

Caitlin looked unimpressed. "Well, we do, and it's awful."

"No! Aw, that... that sucks. You should try ours sometime - you won't want pizza from anywhere else, ever again."

"Yeah?" She threw him a warm smile.

Harry cleared his throat, suddenly realising what he'd said. "Yeah, I mean, if you wanted to."

Her eyes twinkled at him. "Maybe I will."

They continued along the river a way, down to where S.T.A.R. Labs sat on the opposite side of the water. They threw their rubbish in the trash, and wandered over to the railing. Caitlin leaned against it and looked up into the clear night sky, truly calm and happy for the first time in ages. Harry leaned over it, his arms resting on the bar, staring at the rippled reflection of the moon. Then he turned his head to look at Caitlin, the small smile playing on his lips making her return his gaze questioningly. 

"What?"

"Nothing."

Her eyes crinkled suspiciously, but she was amused all the same. "What is it?"

"It's... The moonlight. It suits you."

Caitlin's face softened, her cheeks now tinged pink. "You can be very sweet when you want to be, Harrison Wells."

"Only to those who deserve it," he said, quietly. "And you, Caitlin Snow... You definitely deserve it, and so much more."

Caitlin didn't know what to say to that. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. All she could do was take a deep, slightly shaky breath. Finally, she found her voice, albeit a hushed version, too afraid that anything more would break the spell that seemed to have fallen over them. "Harry, if you were going to kiss me earlier," she said, feeling suddenly emboldened, "you still can."

Harry reached out a hand to tuck a curl behind her ear, his fingers brushing back down her jawline and then moving up to rest against her cheek.

Caitlin thought her heart was going to pound its way right out of her chest, that she would drown right in those eyes of his, and it was a good job that she took a second to remember to breathe, because he leaned in the rest of the way a moment later and gently brushed his lips against hers. Her eyes fluttered closed, and as soon as she responded, as soon as she touched him, one hand wrapping around his neck whilst the other slid up his arm and round the back of his shoulders, it was like a dam had burst, and he kissed her urgently, as if she were his source of life, and she melted completely, unable to do anything but lose herself in the feel of him, to give as good as he gave.

Finally, the need to breathe took over, and urgency was replaced with softer, more languid kisses, in-between snatches of air, until they eventually came to a natural stopping point. Caitlin opened her eyes slowly, her forehead pressed against his, and found that his eyes were already on hers, his irises darker than she'd ever seen them, and she caught a flash of something akin to panic mixed in with his heavy, slightly glassy gaze - somehow, she knew exactly why.

"Don't," she whispered, placing a finger against his lips when she saw he was about to speak. He'd kissed her so thoroughly so quickly, as if he'd been waiting forever for her, but she hadn't minded, not in the least. It had lit a fire in her belly, one she hadn't felt for a long time, and she was not going to let it burn out. Instead, she cupped his face in her hands, and kissed him again, firmly, not leaving him in any doubt that it had been exactly what she'd wanted. Her skin buzzed as Harry's hands smoothed their way up her arms, all of her nerve endings aflame, and it was only when a group of students wandered past and cheered and whooped at them, that they remembered that they were in public, and they broke apart, overcome all of a sudden with the need to laugh. Caitlin buried her face in the crook of Harry's neck, and once she'd contained her giggles, looked up at him with a bright smile. 

"Well," he said, grinning at her.

"Well," she repeated. His muscles flexed under her hands as he pulled her close again and pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head. They stayed like that for while, in comfortable silence, until Caitlin shivered. Harry stepped back and shrugged off his jacket, placing it around her shoulders, and she sighed at the warmth that radiated from it as she slipped her arms through sleeves that were far too long for her.

Harry smiled affectionately at the sight of her. "It looks good on you." He reached for her hand. "Let's get you home."

Any lingering worry Caitlin might have had about moving too fast, disappeared completely.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in getting this last chapter up! Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

"Wait, wait, wait..."

Caitlin giggled as Harry spoke, clearly not heeding his own advice as he continued to kiss her. They stumbled down the hall a little, and were almost at the door to her apartment when Caitlin finally did what Harry had been trying to do and pulled away, laughing quietly but deliriously. 

"Shhh... She'll hear us!"

Harry raised his eyebrows and smirked. "You're the one who's giggling."

Sucking her lower lip between her teeth, Caitlin smiled up at him coquettishly. "Then stop kissing me before your daughter catches us." She could see Harry fighting an internal battle with himself, and it amused her greatly, but they had to pull themselves together.

Finally, Harry gave her one last, searing kiss, then stood straight and took a deep breath. "Poker face."

"Poker face," Caitlin confirmed, nodding, still flustered and very warm. She composed herself, then slid her key into the lock and opened her door. They stepped in, all fake coolness and nonchalance, but were met with darkness. Caitlin switched on a lamp. "She must be in bed."

Harry went to Jesse's room, and returned moments later, looking faintly concerned. "She's not here. I thought Joe would have dropped her back by-" He was cut off by the sound of Caitlin's cell ringing. She retrieved it from her clutch, immediately passing it to Harry when she saw Joe's name flashing up on the screen.

"Joe..." Seconds later, Harry's face visibly relaxed. "Yeah, that's fine... No, no, don't wake her, as long as you're sure you don't mind? ... Ok, thanks, Joe." He hung up and placed the phone down on the console table by the living room door. "She fell asleep on the couch." 

Caitlin wrapped a hand around his bicep, in what was supposed to be a gesture of affection, but then her train of thought derailed at the feel of firm, strong-

"Caitlin."

She blinked up at him, and the expression on his face, the smirk and his intense eyes, told her she'd been caught out. She shrugged, trying to hide the shiver of delight than ran through her, and smirked cheekily back at him. "So..." She pressed a finger to his chest and stood on tiptoes to position her face closer to his. "We're all alone."

"Yes," Harry agreed, his gaze moving from her eyes to her lips and back again. He smoothed a hand over her shoulder, up her neck, until his fingers sliding into her hair.

Caitlin pushed her head against his hand and sighed, her lips parting as Harry leaned in to snatch another kiss, a soft, gentle press of his mouth that ended up with her against the wall in a bruising, tongues and teeth kiss that left her head spinning. She wasn't sure where the rest of this night would be heading, but what she did know was that, at this moment, she never, ever wanted Harry to take his lips away from hers.

*

"So, do you think it worked?" Jesse asked the next morning, leaning back in her chair, feet propped up on the work station in front of her, a mug of coffee in her hands.

Barry glanced at her from where he was working at one of the computers. "Like I said, they were getting along great, and there was definite chemistry between them."

"I know, I'm just impatient. I can't help it."

"Yeah, I know. But I'm sure they'll be here soon. And remember..."

"Yeah, yeah, it's possible that nothing happened."

Cisco, who had a gadget in his hands that looked a little like a futuristic version of a Rubik's Cube, spoke without his eyes leaving the strange object, his hands tinkering with it. "I still can't believe the lame-ass excuse you gave for me. What am I supposed to say if they ask?"

Barry shrugged. "I dunno, man, just tell them it's a private family matter, or something. I did my part."

"Mmm, helpful. Thanks, dude."

"Where are they, anyway? Isn't Caitlin usually in by now?" Jesse asked, a little anxiously. 

Cisco grinned. "Maybe the night went _very_ well."

"Eww, Cisco! I know I want them together, but he's still my dad! A little less detail, ok?"

"Sorry." Cisco chuckled at the look of disgust on the teen's face.

Not a minute later, Barry suddenly sat up straight, his eyes on the monitor in front of him. "Guys, he's here."

Jesse scrambled to right herself in her chair, although she wasn't quite sure why. The position she'd been in was more natural than the one she was in now, wide-eyed with her hands fidgeting in her lap.

"Yo, Jesse, chill," Barry soothed, trying not to laugh.

"I am, I'm completely chilled."

"You might wanna tell your hands that," Cisco said, pointing to them.

So she sat on them, even though she knew that that wasn't much better.

*

"Morning," Harry said, as he walked into the cortex, his face completely neutral apart from the smile he threw his daughter.

"Hi, dad," Jesse greeted. "Sorry I didn't come back last night."

"It's ok, Joe called to tell me. You have a good night?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "You?"

"Can't complain. It was different."

"Good different?"

"Yeah, I suppose." He turned to Barry. "How d'you get on at that crime scene. Anything unusual?"

"Huh? What crime- Uh, I mean, yeah, it was just your normal, run-of-the-mill robbery," Barry quickly said, caught off guard after being distracted by his phone. 

Harry noticed two things in that moment. One was, of course, Barry's stumble, but also, in his peripheral vision, the hand Jesse had tried to discreetly flap at him. Interesting. "Cisco."

"Yo." Cisco glanced up from the work he was doing.

Harry narrowed his gaze slightly. "How's your brother?"

"Oh, uh, you know, family stuff. I can't really say yet."

"Fair enough," the older man nodded, and gave him as sincere a smile as he could. He slung his bag over the back of a chair, his brain working quickly.

"Sorry we had to bail last night. That food though, right?"

"Ha, right. Not even enough to fill a child. Still, it was an experience."

Barry smiled. "It sure was."

"So, dad, where's Caitlin?"

Harry looked at Jesse over his shoulder, his hands now rummaging for something inside his bag. "She had a couple of errands to run. I'm sure she won't be long."

*

Caitlin drained the last of her coffee and threw her paper cup into the nearest trash can as she bounced along, her pretty face lit up by the smile she couldn't seem to shake. Last night had been... Incredible. She pressed her hand to her mouth, still feeling the ghost of Harry's kisses, his touch on her skin. She thought her face would crack if she grinned any harder, and a few people who passed her on the street gave her indiscreet, odd looks, but she didn't care - she'd dance the rest of the way into work if she didn't think she'd get into trouble with her heels and the uneven areas of the pavement. And also, she had her car. Caitlin had just slipped into it when her phone chimed with a text alert, and she pulled it from her purse, biting her bottom lip when she saw it was from Harry. However, her face quickly reconfigured itself into one of confusion, and she frowned at the words on the small screen.

_We were set up._

She quickly fired off a reply. _What?_

_Last night. Barry and Iris were always going to leave. Cisco was never with his brother. Even Jesse knows._

Caitlin's mouth dropped open, but before she could respond, another text came through.

_They don't know that we know. We could have some fun with that._

She thought for a moment, then smiled conspiratorially. _Let's do it._

*

"Oh, so you came in after all."

Everyone looked up at the same time, the tone of Caitlin's voice startling them. 

Harry gave her a smile that was anything but pleasant. "I'm sorry, did I need your permission? Last time I checked, you didn't own this place."

Caitlin scoffed at him. "Neither do you."

"True, but at least I don't act like I do."

" _Excuse_ me?"

"Woah, guys..." Barry stood up, his eyes wide, hands in front of him in a placating gesture. "What's going on?"

Caitlin kept her glare on Harry. _God, he looks good all pretend-riled up_. Then she scolded herself. _Focus, Caitlin!_ "Why don't you ask Doctor 'I-think-I'm-god's-gift' Wells."

Jesse looked horrified. "Dad, what did you do?!"

"He ditched me," Caitlin said, matter-of-factly. Then she glanced at the girl apologetically. "I'm sorry, Jesse. Perhaps we shouldn't be arguing in front of your daughter?" She addressed Harry in the most sickly-sweet tone she could muster.

"What do you mean he 'ditched' you?" Cisco asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Hey," Barry said firmly, stepping between them. "Whatever this is, go and sort it out. _Now_."

Caitlin shook her head and stormed out, and Harry followed, peeling off and going in the opposite direction down the corridor.

"Oh, my god!" Jesse pressed her hands to her cheeks.

"Hey, Jesse, come on - it's ok."

"I honestly thought he... And now they can't stand each other!"

"Jesse-"

"What did he do?! I can't believe he just... I'm gonna kill him. And he came in, acting like nothing was wrong!"

"Jesse-"

"Oh, poor Caitlin, this is all my-"

" _Jesse_!"

She jumped at Barry's raised voice.

Barry placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's ok, I promise. They're messing with us."

"They're... What?"

"Look, I... I didn't say anything because I thought it should come from your dad, but I ran back last night to spy on them, just for a quick look to see how they were getting on... What?" he said, at the look Cisco threw him, "I was just curious. _Anyway_ , they were on their way out when I got there, and, believe me, the way they were looking at each other, your dad _clearly_ hadn't been paying attention to anyone else. No, what happened is Harry walked in earlier, saw us slip up, put two and two together, told Caitlin, and came up with a plan to throw us off."

"... So, they're playing us?"

"Yep."

"You're sure?"

"Positive. But don't worry, I'm pretty sure you dad doesn't know it was your idea."

Jesse waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, please, if it worked out the way I wanted it to, then I'm not worried about that. But thanks."

Cisco tapped a finger to his lips thoughtfully. "Wait. So they know, and we know they know, but they don't know that we know they know..."

A slow smile spread across Jesse's face. 

*

When Caitlin and Harry met up in one of the workshops, they immediately gravitated towards one another, unable to hide their glee at their sneaky plan.

"I have to say," Harry breathed, as his lips trailed across Caitlin's face, "that fiery Caitlin Snow is very desirable." He found her mouth, and she smiled against him.

"Mmm, likewise."

"All I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss you."

Caitlin wrapped her arms around his neck, and sighed. Then a thought occurred to her. "Why do you think they set us up? You hadn't been back here a day and they were already working on getting us together."

Harry narrowed his eyes a little as he processed that information. "That's true..." Then his mouth dropped, his eyes widening. "Jesse!"

"Jesse?"

"The little..." Harry laughed, and Caitlin blinked at him in confusion, an uncertain smile crossing her lips as she watched him. "Well, well, well. I should have known, considering," he continued.

"You've lost me."

"She must have known I..." Harry started, and then he clamped his mouth shut, as if only just realising who was in front of him. "It doesn't matter." He stepped away from Caitlin and moved over to one of the workbenches, picking up the first object he saw and looking it over. "Is this one of Ramon's projects?"

Caitlin grinned. She'd never seen Harry embarrassed before, and it was quite endearing. That, and obviously he'd been about to say something about her. "Uh-uh, no, come on, spill."

Harry tipped his head towards her, but didn't turn round, insisting on staring at the small weapon in his hands. "Hmm? This is very clever, very clever indeed..."

"Harry!"

The man stiffened, carefully placed down Cisco's work, and slowly turned, his eyes flicking to and from Caitlin's questioning gaze.

She raised her eyebrows at him, amused at his sudden change in character as well as the colour that flooded his cheeks. "Harrison Wells," she said, stepping slowing towards him. "Are you _blushing_?"

"Wha... You... I don't _blush_ , Caitlin." Harry folded his arms across his chest, doing exactly the opposite of what he was protesting against.

Caitlin decided to give him a break. She reached out to touch his face, his skin warm and soft beneath the pads of her fingers. "No, of course not. But, if there was anything you wanted me to know, don't be afraid to tell me."

Harry sighed, and let the tension out of his shoulders. He covered her hand with his, and then turned his head to press a kiss to it. Caitlin smiled, patiently waiting for him to open up to her. 

"I think I've had feelings for you for a while," he finally said, now holding her gaze, "and I think Jesse knew that."

"You "think"?'

"I _know_. Every time she mentioned your name, I clearly gave something away to her."

"That's sweet."

"Caitlin-"

"No," she said, pressing a finger to his lips. "Me, too."

Harry smiled wryly and glanced away from her.

"It's true," she said, with conviction. "I just didn't realise that that was what it was, not until last night, anyway. I thought about you a lot, you know."

His smile softened, and reached his eyes this time. "You did?"

She nodded. "I did. And," she continued, sliding her arms around his neck, "knowing you've felt this way for a while, just makes me want you more."

The smile turned into a grin, and he kissed her again. Caitlin sighed contentedly at the feel of his hands in her hair, his mouth hot and insistent against hers, and she could have happily stayed here in his arms all day, except that she had actual work to do, and-

She pulled away, quickly.

"What? What's wrong?"

"The camera," she whispered, urgently, eyes wide as she gave a nod towards it that wasn't as discreet as she felt it was.

"Oh." Harry shook his head. "Don't worry. I doubt they're actually standing there watching us. It might have been Jesse's idea to set us up, but I think that's as far as she'd probably go."

"Yeah, but Barry and Cisco..." Caitlin pulled a face. "No, I don't want to think about that." She laid a palm against Harry's chest, her other hand sliding over his shoulder. "We should probably head back - do we tell them, or...?"

Harry thought for a moment. "Well, clearly Jesse is fine with it, and that's all that matters. But... they know, and we know they know, but they don't know that we know they know..."

"So... We just carry on as normal and see who cracks first?"

"Pretty much. And obviously, we'll win."

"Oh, obviously."

*

"Jesse, cool it down," Cisco whispered at the teen, who had developed an annoying tendency to speak much too fast whenever she had to talk to her dad or Caitlin. 

"I'm sorry, I'm just not as good at this as I thought I would be, and I'm good at most things," she assured, with a confident nod. "Can't we just tell them we know? Besides, if anyone's going to give us away, it's gonna be Barry."

"Hey!" Barry objected, his voice rasping as he attempted to be offended quietly. 

Cisco slapped him on the back. "Dude, you know she's probably right."

Barry rolled his eyes, then cleared his throat. "Hey, you know, you guys are meant to be on vacation - are you _sure_ there's nowhere you'd rather be than stuck in here with us?" 

From across the room, Harry glanced up from the computer screen. Of course there was - there was one place in _particular_ he'd rather be right now, but obviously, he wasn't going to tell Barry or anyone else that. Except Caitlin. If she asked. And even then it would only be in private. "We came to visit friends. This is us, visiting."

"Yeah, I mean, everything you have, we have, only better," Jesse chimed in, with a cheeky grin.

"Oh, no, you did not." Cisco threw a pencil at her.

"Hey!" she laughed, attempting to dodge out of the way but getting caught on the arm.

"Well, it's good that you and Caitlin made up," Barry said, smiling at the two of them.

Caitlin, who was staring at a print-out, didn't look up as she answered "Yep! Just a misunderstanding."

"A weird one though, right?"

"Uh-huh, yeah, totally weird. Who's hungry?" Harry took off his glasses and stood up. "I fancy a burger. Snow, wanna come and help with orders? You guys text her what you want."

"Uh, sure!"

"Actually," Jesse interrupted, a mischievous look in her eyes, "do you mind if I go instead?"

"Oh, of course," Caitlin said, aware that she was smiling a bit too much, and also aware that she couldn't seem to stop, and not for the first time that day. "You go spend some time with your dad." She grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, and quickly scribbled down their orders. "Here," she said, handing the note to Jesse. "I'll just get you some money."

"You didn't even ask what we wanted!" Cisco protested.

"You both always get the same thing."

"Yeah, ok, that's true," he nodded, in a quick, graceful defeat. 

Caitlin grabbed her wallet and pulled out a couple of bills. "That should cover it."

"Thanks." Jesse took the money and stuffed it into her pocket.

Then there was silence, as, for some reason, no one made any attempt to move. And it was the awkward kind, not the comfortable kind that Caitlin was used to. She wanted to laugh.

His back to everyone but her, Harry smiled at Caitlin, and she almost forgot herself as she stared at him... Dammit! She averted her gaze, and, for his part, Harry quickly realised why, and cleared his throat as he turned to the others. "Right, we'll be-"

"Oh!" 

Everyone turned to face Jesse, who now had her hands clamped over her mouth.

"Jesse?"

Caitlin caught Harry's eye, and then looked around the room, catching Cisco and Barry's hilarious attempt at trying to signal to the younger Wells without her or Harry seeing.

Harry stepped a little closer to his daughter. "Jess? You all right?"

She nodded, hands still pressed against her lips. "Mmmhmm."

"You sure?"

Caitlin snorted, and then she, too, was covering her mouth with her hands, desperately trying to hide the mirth that threatened to erupt from her. Everyone was now looking at each other, in one of the most bizarre stand-offs she'd ever seen. 

"Caitlin, how about you, are _you_ all right?" Barry pressed, his arms folded as he attempted to stare her out.

She nodded. "Absolutely," she replied, letting her arms drop to her sides. _Don't laugh, don't laugh. Yes, this is ridiculous, but don't laugh..._

She laughed.

"Cait, you sure you're okay?" Cisco looked at her warily. 

"Yeah, yes, I'm fine. You were just... amusing, that's all, with that weird, flapping thing you were doing at Jesse - what was that?" Caitlin challenged, daring them to break first. Clearly, everyone knew that everyone knew, now.

Barry pulled a face. "What are you talking about?"

"You were flapping your hands at her, as if you were trying to stop her from saying something...." she threw a meaningful glance Harry's way, and he picked up on it in just the way she intended.

"Sweetie, if there's something you need to tell me, just go ahead, you won't be in any trouble," he encouraged, smiling at his daughter.

"Um..." Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Jesse literally had nowhere to go. She broke. "We know about the two of you!" she blurted.

The boys gasped over-dramatically.

"I'm sorry," she said, as Cisco shook his head. 

"You disappoint me, young padawan."

"Know about what?"

" _Dad_."

Caitlin walked over to Harry and threaded her arm through his. "Give up, it's over. Besides," she smiled impishly at him, "we won."

"Wait - you knew we knew?"

"Barry, come on. It wasn't hard to figure out. And then, of course, that Jesse had been the one who started it. And," Harry continued, putting a finger up before Jesse could say anything, "we're very glad you did."

"Really?"

"Really."

Jesse moved to throw her arms around her dad's neck. "I just wanted you - both of you, to be happy."

"We really are," Caitlin assured, smiling at her.

"I'm so happy for you. But," she said, letting go of her father, "don't be gross in front of me. Because you're my dad, so that will always be weird, no matter how much I like your new girlfriend."

Caitlin blushed a little. _Girlfriend_. Harrison Wells's girlfriend. Huh.

Harry chuckled. "I promise."

Seemingly satisfied, Jesse then went to hug Caitlin. 

"Yeah, what Jesse said," Cisco added, waving a finger between the two of them. "Even when Jesse isn't here, that rule still applies around the rest of us. And Harry, if you hurt her, I'll rain pain down on you, I swear to god."

"Ha, right, although, fair enough. And I would never."

"Yeah, well, just make sure." Then Cisco beamed at them. "You guys!"

Harry pulled a face. "Don't do that."

"Aw, it's sweet!" Barry purposefully cooed, knowing full well that Harry would hate it.

"Stop it. Caitlin, make them stop."

"But you look so adorable together!"

Harry moved to Caitlin's side and eyed her seriously. "We're gonna need some ground rules."

All Caitlin could do was laugh, giddy at how happy she was, not just at being with Harry, but because she adored her ridiculous friends. She tugged on his arm. "Feed them, that'll get them to shut-up."

"Yeah, I don't actually want to go, I just wanted to see how you reacted when I ruined your 'alone time'", Jesse confessed, before pulling a face not unlike the one her father had moments before. "I can't believe I just said that. Anyway, go on, get out of here! And don't be too long, we're starving." She handed Caitlin her money back.

"Oh, Harry. Caught between two bossy women - I don't envy you. One is bad enough."

"I'm gonna tell Iris you said that," Caitlin shot back at Barry, and the speedster's face fell.

"Yeah, no... don't do that... Please don't do that..."

"Right," Harry squeezed his eyes shut for a second and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked at Caitlin. "Let's go before they make it worse."

She smirked. "Come on, then."

*

Later that night, after Jesse had gone to bed and he was sure she was asleep, Harry snuck into Caitlin's bedroom.

"Why do I feel like a teenager?" he asked, perching on the edge of her bed.

Caitlin smiled brightly. "I know, isn't it fun?" She moved next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

"Is it?"

She chuckled. "It won't be for long. Just let her get used to it."

Harry slipped his fingers through hers and brought her hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "We have a lot to talk about, what with us living in different universes."

"I know, but we both knew what we were going into. We'll make it work."

"We will," he said, confidently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. He stared at her a moment. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

Harry..." She felt her cheeks start to burn.

"And even more so when you blush."

"I think you should stop talking, now."

He grinned. "Make me."

So, she did.


End file.
